An earthquake cannot be predicted, which makes it one of the most dangerous natural disasters. A 5.0 magnitude low-intensity earthquake was recorded in the UAE on February 10, 2019, however, the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) did not report any direct impact of the earthquake in the country.
Many residents of Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai took to social media to report feelings of tremors. The earthquake was fundamentally recorded in South Iran and only low-intensity tremors were reported in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.
While low-intensity tremors mostly don’t lead to emergency situations, a high-intensity earthquake can prove to have dangerous consequences. An earthquake situation can particularly make it difficult for motorists to commute safely as they can lose control of their vehicles, which can cause dangerous road accidents.
Here are the safety tips to follow for commuting safely during an earthquake.
Move away from Buildings, Trees and Signboards and Stop the Vehicle
It is advised that motorists should move their vehicles away from buildings, trees and signboards and stop driving till the earthquake ends completely. High-intensity tremors can cause massive property damage and send objects flying on to the road, which can hit a vehicle. Drivers should try to take their vehicles to a roadside where they can avoid proximity to buildings, signboards and trees. In this way, motorists can limit the risk of a high-intensity collision with falling or flying objects.
Keep Your Seatbelts Fastened
In an earthquake situation, motorists should always keep their seatbelts fastened even after stopping a vehicle on a roadside. High-intensity tremors can jolt those inside the vehicles, which can increase the risk of car occupants being thrown out of the vehicle if they are not wearing their seatbelts. This is the reason why motorists should stay inside their vehicles and always keep their seatbelts fastened to avoid dangerous situations during an earthquake.
Also read: Public Awareness about Seatbelt Rules Still Considerably Low, New Survey Finds
Drive Away from the Sea
Driving away from the sea is one of the most important safety practices to follow whenever an earthquake is reported in an area. An earthquake can last for a few seconds or minutes and doesn’t allow enough time to react, however, earthquakes in the sea can cause a Tsunami which takes time to reach the shoreline. Drivers should drive away from areas adjoining the sea just in case an earthquake triggers a Tsunami.
Turn on the Radio and Listen to the Instructions from Authorities
Adopting a proactive approach can be useful in emergency situations and it can help the most in the event of a natural disaster like earthquake. Drivers should tune into a local radio station and check for updates and instructions issued by authorities regarding the earthquake. This can help in planning the future course of actions and avoiding dangerous situations.
Avoid Driving through Bridges and Tunnels after the Earthquake
Motorists should drive carefully after an earthquake as there can be large cracks, breaks and steep drop-offs in the roads. A high-intensity earthquake can cause excessive damage to bridges and tunnels and can cause their sudden collapse in a worst-case scenario. This is why motorists should take alternative routes and avoid driving through bridges and tunnels to commute safely after an earthquake.
Brace Yourself for Bad Weather
An earthquake can be followed by heavy rain or windstorm, which can make driving even more challenging for motorists. The visibility can go down significantly, which can potentially cause dangerous road accidents if motorists don’t adopt safety measures. Motorists should drive at a slow pace and keep their headlights turned on to have a clearer view of the road.
It is highly advised that motorists should stop driving, park their vehicle at a safe place and wait for the visibility to improve before they start driving again. In this way, dangerous road situations induced by bad weather can be easily avoided.
Also read: Safe Practices for Driving in the UAE’s Bad Weather
Drive Safe Motorists!
Minor tremors of earthquake were felt in different parts of Dubai on Sunday, February 10, 2019, which made everyone cautious, particularly the motorists. Earthquakes cannot be predicted, hence people can only adopt safety practices to limit property damage and loss of lives. It is important that motorists don’t lose their calmness while driving during an earthquake and follow the aforementioned tips to avoid dangerous incidents.
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